Tuesday notes from the Valero Texas Open

Yes, No. 2-ranked Rory McIlroy is in the Valero Texas Open for the first time. But others in the world rankings top 100 are returning after playing in 2012: No. 9 Matt Kuchar, No. 47 Frededie Jacobson and No. 83 K.J. Choi.

Last year, Kuchar tied for 13th and Jacobson for 18th, while Choi struggled and missed the cut at the TPC San Antonio AT&T Oaks Course.

Leonard has won the Texas Open three times: 2000, 2001 and 2007, all at La Cantera’s Resort Course. Other past champions in the field this year include Bob Estes (1994), Duffy Waldorf (1995, 1999), Tim Herron (1997) and Brendan Steele (2011). Others who have done well on the Oaks course in past Opens include runners-up James Driscoll, Jacobson, Kevin Chappell, Charley Hoffman, Matt Every and John Huh.

D.A. Points enters the week on a high, having won the Shell Houston Open. Also coming in hot off that event are Billy Horschel (tied for 2nd), and Brian Davis and Chappell (tied for 6th).

Qualifiers for next week’s Masters in the field include Choi, Curtis, Donaldson, Fernandez-Castano, Furyk, Brian Gay, Hanson, Harrington, Huh, Jacobson, Kuchar, David Lynn, McIlroy, John Merrick, John Peterson, Points, Poulter, Schwartzel and Toms.

Scott Verplank (Carrollton) withdrew on Tuesday, as did Henrik Stenson, who made it into the Masters field by moving into the top 50 with a runner-up finish at the Shell Houston Open last week. Matt Bettencourt and Duffy Waldorf, a past two-time winner of event, were added in place of Verplank and Stenson.